One of the hottest teams in the NHL is finally getting its top forward back in the lineup.
Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk will play Friday against the Buffalo Sabres, head coach Mike Babcock confirmed Thursday.
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Datsyuk missed 16 games with a knee injury and last played on Feb. 27. He also missed 14 games earlier in the season with a knee injury. The 35-year-old veteran, who’s among the best two-way forwards in the NHL, has tallied 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) in 39 games this season.
Detroit is still without injured forwards Henrik Zetterberg and Stephen Weiss.
The Red Wings took a huge step toward clinching a playoff spot for the 23rd consecutive season with a 3-2 victory over the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night at Joe Louis Arena, giving them a three-point lead on the Columbus Blue Jackets for the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Detroit is 6-3-1 in its last 10 games and currently has a three-game winning streak.
